{
 "id": "stl",
 "name": "STL",
 "category": "3d",
 "identifiers": {
  "extensions": [
   "stl"
  ],
  "mime": [
   "model/stl"
  ],
  "puid": [
   "x-fmt/108",
   "fmt/865"
  ],
  "wikidata": [
   "Q1238229"
  ],
  "magic": [
   {
    "offset": 0,
    "hex": "736f6c6964"
   }
  ],
  "loc_fdd": [
   "fdd000504"
  ]
 },
 "status": "writable",
 "summary": "file format used by CAD software and 3D printers",
 "tools": [
  {
   "name": "Assimp (WebAssembly)",
   "url": "https://github.com/kovacsv/assimpjs",
   "license": "BSD-3-Clause / MIT",
   "open_source": true,
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "3D Utilities",
   "url": "http://ssa.ncsa.illinois.edu/isda/software/3d-utilities/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "ABViewer",
   "url": "https://cadsofttools.com/products/abviewer/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "Alibre Design",
   "url": "https://www.alibre.com/",
   "reads": false,
   "writes": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Amapi Pro 7",
   "url": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q120731789",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Anim8or",
   "url": "http://www.anim8or.com/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false,
   "license": "freeware"
  },
  {
   "name": "ArchiCAD",
   "url": "https://www.graphisoft.com/plans-and-products/archicad",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false,
   "license": "proprietary license"
  },
  {
   "name": "Autodesk 3ds Max",
   "url": "https://www.autodesk.com/products/3ds-max/overview",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false,
   "license": "proprietary license"
  },
  {
   "name": "Autodesk 3DS Max 8",
   "url": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q112685364",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Autodesk 3DS Max 9",
   "url": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q112661114",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Autodesk Inventor",
   "url": "https://www.autodesk.com/products/inventor/overview?term=1-YEAR&tab=subscription",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false,
   "license": "proprietary license"
  },
  {
   "name": "binvox",
   "url": "https://www.patrickmin.com/binvox/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "Blender",
   "url": "https://www.blender.org",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true,
   "license": "GNU General Public License, version 3.0",
   "open_source": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Bricscad",
   "url": "http://www.bricsys.com",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false,
   "license": "proprietary license"
  },
  {
   "name": "BRL-CAD",
   "url": "https://brlcad.org",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true,
   "license": "GNU Lesser General Public License, version 2.1",
   "open_source": true
  },
  {
   "name": "CATIA",
   "url": "https://www.3ds.com/products-services/catia/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false,
   "license": "proprietary license"
  },
  {
   "name": "Cinema 4D",
   "url": "https://www.maxon.net/en/products/cinema-4d/overview/",
   "reads": false,
   "writes": true,
   "license": "proprietary license"
  },
  {
   "name": "clara.io",
   "url": "http://clara.io",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "CloudCompare",
   "url": "http://www.cloudcompare.org/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false,
   "license": "GNU General Public License",
   "open_source": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Cobalt",
   "url": "http://www.ashlar.com/3d-modeling/3d-modeling-cobalt.html",
   "reads": false,
   "writes": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Creo Elements/Pro",
   "url": "http://www.ptc.com/products/creo-elements-pro/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "DicomToMesh",
   "url": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131339000",
   "reads": false,
   "writes": true,
   "license": "MIT License",
   "open_source": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Form-Z",
   "url": "http://www.formz.com",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "Fusion 360",
   "url": "https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "GIMIAS",
   "url": "http://www.gimias.org/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false,
   "license": "BSD licenses",
   "open_source": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Global Mapper",
   "url": "https://www.bluemarblegeo.com/global-mapper/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "IntelliCAD",
   "url": "https://www.intellicad.org/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true
  },
  {
   "name": "IRONCAD",
   "url": "http://www.ironcad.com",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true
  },
  {
   "name": "JavaView",
   "url": "http://www.javaview.de/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "KeyCreator",
   "url": "http://kubotek3d.com/Products/KeyCreator-Direct-CAD.aspx",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "Keyshot",
   "url": "https://www.keyshot.com/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "KISSSlicer",
   "url": "https://www.kisslicer.com/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "Konvertor",
   "url": "http://www.logipole.com/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "LightWave 3D",
   "url": "http://www.newtek.com/lightwave/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "Maple",
   "url": "https://www.maplesoft.com/products/maple/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false,
   "license": "proprietary license"
  },
  {
   "name": "Mathematica",
   "url": "https://www.wolfram.com/mathematica/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true,
   "license": "proprietary license"
  },
  {
   "name": "MayaVi",
   "url": "http://docs.enthought.com/mayavi/mayavi/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false,
   "license": "BSD licenses",
   "open_source": true
  },
  {
   "name": "MeshLab",
   "url": "http://meshlab.sourceforge.net/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false,
   "license": "GNU General Public License",
   "open_source": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Moment of Inspiration",
   "url": "http://moi3d.com/",
   "reads": false,
   "writes": true
  },
  {
   "name": "MountainsMap",
   "url": "http://www.digitalsurf.com/en/mntkey.html",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "Navisworks",
   "url": "http://www.autodesk.com/products/navisworks",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "Nugraf",
   "url": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q113044711",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true
  },
  {
   "name": "NX",
   "url": "https://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/global/en/products/nx/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false,
   "license": "proprietary license"
  },
  {
   "name": "Onshape",
   "url": "https://www.onshape.com",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false,
   "license": "proprietary license"
  },
  {
   "name": "PhotoModeler",
   "url": "http://www.photomodeler.com",
   "reads": false,
   "writes": true,
   "license": "proprietary license"
  },
  {
   "name": "PhotoRec",
   "url": "http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false,
   "license": "GNU General Public License",
   "open_source": true
  },
  {
   "name": "PolyTrans 4.1.2",
   "url": "https://www.okino.com/conv/conv.htm",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Preview",
   "url": "https://support.apple.com/it-it/guide/preview/prvw846b61d3/mac",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "Q251322",
   "url": "https://www.freecad.org/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true,
   "license": "GNU Library General Public License, version 2.0 or later",
   "open_source": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Q3353120",
   "url": "https://openscad.org/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true,
   "license": "GNU General Public License, version 2.0 or later",
   "open_source": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Qlone",
   "url": "https://www.qlone.pro",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Qlone Dental",
   "url": "https://www.qlone.pro/dental",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Rhinoceros 3D",
   "url": "https://www.rhino3d.com/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true,
   "license": "proprietary license"
  },
  {
   "name": "SALOME",
   "url": "https://www.salome-platform.org/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true,
   "license": "GNU Lesser General Public License, version 2.1 or later",
   "open_source": true
  },
  {
   "name": "SketchUp",
   "url": "https://how-to-sketchup.com/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Solid Edge",
   "url": "https://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/global/en/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false,
   "license": "proprietary license"
  },
  {
   "name": "SOLIDWORKS",
   "url": "https://www.solidworks.com/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false,
   "license": "proprietary license"
  },
  {
   "name": "SolveSpace",
   "url": "http://solvespace.com/",
   "reads": false,
   "writes": true
  },
  {
   "name": "SpaceClaim",
   "url": "http://www.spaceclaim.com/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "T-FLEX CAD",
   "url": "http://www.tflex.com/",
   "reads": false,
   "writes": true,
   "license": "proprietary license"
  },
  {
   "name": "TetGen",
   "url": "http://tetgen.org/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": false
  },
  {
   "name": "Tinkercad",
   "url": "https://www.tinkercad.com/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true
  },
  {
   "name": "TransMagic",
   "url": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7833626",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true
  },
  {
   "name": "VariCAD",
   "url": "http://www.varicad.com/",
   "reads": false,
   "writes": true,
   "license": "proprietary license"
  },
  {
   "name": "VisualARQ",
   "url": "http://www.visualarq.com/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Visualization Library",
   "url": "http://visualizationlibrary.org",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true,
   "license": "BSD licenses",
   "open_source": true
  },
  {
   "name": "Wings 3D",
   "url": "http://www.wings3d.com/",
   "reads": true,
   "writes": true,
   "license": "BSD licenses",
   "open_source": true
  },
  {
   "name": "xCAD",
   "url": "https://www.xcad.tech/",
   "reads": false,
   "writes": true
  }
 ],
 "projects": [
  {
   "name": "File Formats Wiki",
   "url": "http://fileformats.archiveteam.org/wiki/STL",
   "kind": "wiki"
  },
  {
   "name": "Kaitai Struct: stl",
   "url": "https://formats.kaitai.io/stl/",
   "kind": "grammar",
   "license": "CC0-1.0"
  },
  {
   "name": "Wikidata Q1238229",
   "url": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1238229",
   "kind": "wiki"
  }
 ],
 "provenance": {
  "sources": [
   "engines",
   "ffw",
   "kaitai",
   "wikidata"
  ]
 },
 "updated": "2026-10-25",
 "parsers": [
  {
   "engine": "kaitai",
   "url": "https://github.com/kaitai-io/kaitai_struct_formats/blob/master/media/stl.ksy",
   "license": "CC0-1.0"
  }
 ],
 "conversions": [
  {
   "to": "gltf",
   "tool": "Assimp (WebAssembly)",
   "command": "In the browser at https://openformatdb.org/convert/, or convert_file in the OpenFormatDB MCP server",
   "fidelity": "partial",
   "losses": "Meshes, materials and the scene graph are kept; animations, cameras and format-specific data may be lost. glTF is written as a .gltf and a .bin.",
   "url": "https://openformatdb.org/convert/",
   "engine": "assimp"
  }
 ],
 "aliases": [],
 "structure": [],
 "samples": [],
 "claims": [],
 "verification": []
}